Four start-up companies have advanced to the final round of the 2025 Farm Bureau Ag Innovation Challenge, competing for a top prize of $100,000. The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), in partnership with Farm Credit, hosts the annual contest to highlight entrepreneurship in agriculture. “This competition helps entrepreneurs grow their ideas into products that support farmers and ranchers in their …
Farmers Face Jan. 1 Deadline to File Federal Ownership Reports
Thousands of farmers could face severe penalties, including fines and jail time, if they do not meet a new federal reporting deadline. The U.S. Department of Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) requires businesses, including many farms, to submit Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) by January 1, 2025. A recent analysis from the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) estimates that more …
Chef Competition in Vietnam Highlights Taste and Quality of U.S. Pork
Chefs from across Vietnam recently competed in Porkstars, a cooking competition now in its third year, designed to promote creative uses of U.S. pork. The live streamed event is a collaboration between the U.S. Meat Export Federation, the National Pork Board, the Indiana Soybean Alliance, and the Indiana Corn Marketing Board. Indiana soybean grower Chris Eck traveled to Vietnam for …
Reclaiming Land along Rail Lines
If your farm runs along an abandoned railroad line, you may be familiar with the issues of trying to reclaim that land. Mark Oppold has the story. Sponsored ContentCIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsMarch 1, 2025Nuseed Carinata Covers New GroundOctober 1, 2024TriEst Ag Group: Partners in ProfitabilityApril 1, 2024
USDA Releases Interim Report on Meat Industry Practices
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has released its Interim Report: Competition and Fair Practices in Meat Merchandising. The report aims to assess how retail concentration and business practices affect competition in the food sector, with a focus on the meat industry—especially beef. This report follows President Biden’s 2021 Executive Order No. 14036, which directed federal agencies to promote fair …
FDACS Urges USDA to Issue Disaster Declaration for Hurricane Milton Agricultural Damage
~ Preliminary Agricultural Damage Assessment Estimates Losses at $1.5 – $2.5 Billion ~ (FDACS/TALLAHASSEE, FL/October 17, 2024) — Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson sent a letter to the United States Secretary of Agriculture formally requesting a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Disaster Declaration for Florida counties impacted by Hurricane Milton. Hurricane Milton caused catastrophic damage to Florida’s agricultural producers, compounding losses and …
Students Encouraged to Apply for CME Group Beef Industry Scholarships
The National Cattlemen’s Foundation is now accepting applications for the 2025 CME Group Beef Industry Scholarship. Rusty Halvorson has more details. This scholarship is designed for students pursuing careers in the beef industry. Ten students will each receive a $1,500 scholarship to help support their education. The CME Group Beef Industry Scholarship, first introduced in 1989, aims to encourage talented …
USDA-NRCS Provides Disaster Recovery Assistance
From hurricanes, floods or drought, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) provides disaster recovery assistance to farmers, ranchers, landowners and communities through a variety of USDA programs. One way help can be provided is through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). It can help producers plan and implement conservation practices on land impacted by natural disasters. Eligible land includes cropland, rangeland, and non-industrial …
Florida Ag Expo Cancelled
Considering Hurricane Milton’s extensive damage to Florida’s agriculture community, AgNet Media and the University of Florida/IFAS has decided to cancel the 2024 Florida Ag Expo. Hurricane Milton has caused significant damage across Florida’s agricultural lands, making proceeding with this year’s event impractical. The hurricane has caused widespread damage to crops, greenhouses and farm infrastructure, and many growers are still experiencing …
Indemnity Payments to Producers Impacted by Hurricane Helene by USDA
(USDA/WASHINGTON, Oct. 15, 2024) — Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced additional assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to help producers impacted by Hurricane Helene in the recovery process. USDA is announcing the counties that have triggered for payment under the Hurricane Insurance Protection-Wind Index (HIP-WI) endorsement for Hurricane Helene. As a result, Approved Insurance Providers (AIP) have 30 days …